Aleut Words: Unangam tunun
- About this book
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Unangax̂ [person], Unangan [spit, channel, part of a whole]
– A person is a part of a whole.
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Una [seaside], Unangax̂ [person]
– The seaside is in the people.
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Agiitaqaan [the other], Una [seaside]
– He’s your cruel brother.
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Alaxsxix̂ [the mainland, Alaska], Alaxsxiĝilix [to hunt inland]
– We traded and hunted on the mainland.
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Tanadgusix̂ [village], Tanax̂ [land, earth], Tanĝix̂ [island]
– Our village rises above the shore.
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Alaĝux̂ [sea, breakers, salt]
– We endure the heavy breakers.
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Slax̂ [wind], Chiĝanax̂ [river]
– The wind is not a river.
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Alix̂ [old man, hard rock], Uknadax [out there on the sea]
– A rock sticks up from the sea, an old man.
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Uĝnaasaqax̂ [warmed (sheltered)]
– Unga is sheltered from the storms.
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Asax̂ [name], Asaanguusx̂ [family name]
– Your identity can not be bought or borrowed.
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Anĝaĝilix [living being, human being, way of life]
– A human being lives among other beings.
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Agiitudan [family], Agiitalix [to accompany]
– We travel together.
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Ilax̂talix [to love, add to]
– Let others judge us by how much we add.
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Adax̂ [father], Aaliisix̂ [landing, harbor, haven]
– Here, in the harbor, you launch your kayak.
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Anax̂ [mother, sheath of grass]
– She wove this grass for baskets and blankets.
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Ayagax̂ [wife, woman, female], Ayagaĝasix̂ [basket]
– Making baskets was women’s work.
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Uyminalix [to be humorous, be healthy]
– A healthy person sees the humor in his situation.
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Aalux̂ [ocean wave], Aalulix [to laugh]
– Could laughter be impersonal?
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Kadax̂ [head or tip of a harpoon or paddle], Kadaliix̂ [ancestor]
– One should never splash.
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Iqyax̂ [kayak], Iiqyaĝilix [to swim like a duck]
– I’m part of the waves, paddling like a duck.
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Chngatux̂ [sea otter], Chngatulix [to be hairy, shaggy]
– The fur of the sea otter is like grass on the hill.
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Axsux̂ [prayer], Axsux̂tix̂ [big basket]
– Baskets are made of prayers.
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Isx̂atix̂ [grass bag], Isxax̂ [place where one lives]
– The grasses had already been woven.
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Chix̂tax [rain], Chiĝanax̂ [river], Chiĝanamasikax̂ [cat’s cradle]
– We tie a string to make a loop.
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Hinax̂ [grass], Hinan [growing plants], Hisix [to come out, grow]
– Why the grass grows.
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Tugidax̂ [moon], Tugiyax̂ [month]
– We counted twelve lunar months by the tides.
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Ahmlalix [to overcome], Amlax̂ [spring season]
– Bright light shines on the snow.
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Saaqudax [summer], Saaqudax̂ [cow parsnip, wild celery]
– The young stalks of the cow parsley are like celery.
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Kimdux [rain], Kiimadax [fall season]
– Autumn refreshes us.
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Qaniix [snow], Qanax [winter], Qanaxsix [to snow steadily]
– At the old end of the year, our old people are older.
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Sagimax̂ [face], Satimaalux̂ [dance mask]
– The face of this dance should remind us of warm fires.
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Qaĝalix [to be glad, be grateful], Qaĝaĝalix [to be loved]
– You know you belong because you are loved.
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Qaĝaĝilix [to feast, party], Qaĝaduuxsix [to dance]
– There are many kinds of dances.
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Qax̂ [fish], Qalix [to eat]
– Everything goes well with fish.
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Agux̂ [beach exposed at low tide], Aguĝnax̂ [sea urchin]
– The exposed margins are full of life.
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Aĝaazax̂ [peace], Aĝaazachxizax̂ [grace, lit. to be well at peace]
– Grace is everything that supports you.
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Amix̂ [healing plant], Hamilix [to heal, be healed]
– My mother taught us not to fear plants.
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Anĝix̂ [breath, voice, soul]
– Many things share a little of the same soul.
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Amilgix̂ [voice], Amilĝix̂ [fishing place in the ocean]
– Whispers in the waves talk to me.
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Sax̂ [bird, duck], Sax [bird-skin parka], Saĝdax̂s [to catch birds]
– They preen to keep their feathers clean.
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Saakux̂ [king eider], Asx̂aatul [to want to die]
– Some birds don’t want to die.
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Tix̂lax̂ [eagle], Tix̂il [to tear or pluck out]
– A name for the bird or its behavior.
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Saagamax [eagle], Saĝdaĝalal [means of catching birds]
– A behavior or the name of the raptor.
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Chaĝax̂ [hunting amulet, a small carved sea otter], Chaĝaligix̂ [young seal, sea otter, or sea lion]
– Believing in the little charm might do good.
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Qugax̂ [shaman’s assistant spirit], Qugaadax̂ [small spirit, amulet]
– A human being, unassisted, is as weak as a finch.
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Angux̂ [oil lamp], Angusux̂ [soapstone for making a seal-oil lamp]
– Here’s a light in the dark.
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Chungux̂ [bird down, bird nest, cradle, blanket]
– Eider down collects in nests.
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Tagix̂ [bundle of grass], Tagiix̂ [family, lineage, generation]
– Each of us, alone, is a stalk of grass.
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Taxsix [to gather, call together], Tagulix [to tie, bind, swaddle]
– Our people are bound together.
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Chugalix [to be complete, have enough], Chugilal [to be peaceful, keep quiet]
– Silence completes peaceful days and nights.
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Ulax̂ [home], Ulaĝilix [to have a home, have a ring around it]
– Safe from the storm, we dance in a circle.
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An’gux̂ [stake in the ground, star]
– We tie our boats to the stars.